There was a time when the word ‘proxy’ was used little outside the geeky chat of an IT department. The first primary use of a proxy server was too control access to the internet in corporate and education networks. By enforcing the proxy as the only access to the internet, networks could be secured and web activity logged and controlled if necessary. Basically only one computer would be allowed access to the world wide web and that would be the proxy server itself.

Times have changed and now proxies represent something other that restrictions, people look for US proxy buy options for a variety of reasons. One ironically is that of try to maintain some privacy, the internet has become much more pervasive but there’s never been that much privacy. The average internet user is probably unaware that every file they download, every image the view or move they watch is recorded and logged at their ISP. Your internet history is very far from a secret and is equally coveted by the state and big business for different reasons.

So how does buying a US proxy help matters with regards to privacy. A well configured proxy or better still a VPN service will do three things with regards online privacy. Firstly it will hide all record of your activity at your ISP. Secondly (although this is normally only a VPN) your data can be encrypted to keep personal details and things like logon credentials secure. Finally it hides your location from the websites you visit, stopping them logging and recording your activity as well.

The use of a secure VPN when browsing the web, certainly improves your security. However there is another important aspect to consider which people should consider – region locking. This is the practice where a web site will attempt to control who gets access to a certain site or content. It’s particularly common in media and TV sites who block access to surfers who are not from a particular country. This is why you’ll find people asking for a US proxy buy, for the simple reason that a US based proxy or VPN will allow you to watch US sites like Netflix, Hulu and NBC irrespective of your location. Ever tried using your Pandora account outside the USA, well it won’t work.

There are a myriad of reasons websites block access to people outside their domestic market. Online banking is often restricted due to the risk of digital fraud, yet ironically it’s travellers who need the service more. Companies like US Netflix restrict based to copyright laws, digital content needs to be licensed in individual countries which obviously can be expensive. Others simply want to charge different prices based on someone’s physical location – a common profit maximization technique.

So these are the fundamental reasons, a desire for an element of privacy online and the ability to control what you can access online. It might be trivial to want to access ABC or the US version of Netflix whilst out of the country – yet for many it’s a real lifeline to their homelife. It’s ironic that in an age where we are all expanding our boundaries and travelling more that the internet is starting to put up more blocks in the form of these region locks. Buying your own high quality US Proxy or better still VPN service does mean that these restrictions are lifted when you’re online. Our recommendation is a service called Identity Cloaker – it gives you access to a secure, encrypted connection to a range of servers across the world – no need to buy a US proxy or a UK one.